The Kia Carnival is a wonderful minivan and a great family car. It is spacious, comfortable, reliable, and efficient. But like most cars, it also comes with multiple issues that owners need to know about. Nonetheless, what are the common Kia Carnival sliding door problems?
One of the common Kia Carnival sliding door problems is the power sliding door auto-reverse malfunctioning and malfunctioning sliding door. Note that these issues are usually common in the 2021 to 2023 Kia Carnival model years.
What are the common sliding door problems with Kia Carnival?
PSD auto reverse malfunctioning
Many Kia Carnival users have reported the passenger sliding door auto-reverse function malfunctioning. As a result, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had to open a federal investigation that forced Kia to recall the affected models. Kia recalled Kia Carnival minivans manufactured between January 4, 2021, and February 22, 2023.
Kia noted that the powered sliding door might not automatically reverse if it is blocked, which may have caused injuries. According to the NHTSA letter to Kia, two complaints claimed injuries with an arm or hand trapped by the powered sliding door. It also notes that users claimed, “larger than normal forces are required to halt and reverse the direction of the moving door.”
One of the owners of the 2022 Kia Carnival with this issue told the NHTSA that the power sliding door sensor malfunctioned when the minivan had around 1,000 miles on it, leading to an injury to the daughter when the sliding door abruptly closed as she was exiting the minivan.
As stated by the minivan owner, the “vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with an unknown failure. The dealer informed the contact that an unknown part needed to be replaced and deactivated the rear-powered sliding doors.”
In another case, a 2022 Kia Carnival owner said their daughter got her hand smashed in the door as the power sliding door didn’t notice an object in the path. The owner said they later examined the door by using their own arm but even the owner had their arm smashed, leaving “an awful bruise.”
Furthermore, another 2022 Kia Carnival owner protested: “Sliding doors seem unsafe. They take a tremendous amount of force to stop the automatic door from closing. There is no safety mechanism to prevent a child from getting stuck and/or extremely hurt if caught in sliding doors while closing. Seems like there should be a lesser resistance necessary to cause doors to open back up if encountering an object to prevent injury.”
Even though some of the cases that were reported were serious and gave parents a lot of headaches, most of the incidences were minor and limited to bruising, swelling, and small cuts or scrapes. Major injuries reported involved a case where a child stuck their hand through the door frame after pressing the door close button, and another child stuck her hand through the door just before it closed.
Kia fixed the problem by installing new software that adds warning chimes and makes the door close more slowly as it approaches the closed position. A total of 51,568 Kia Carnival models were recalled.
Malfunctioning sliding door
Several users have also complained that the passenger side sliding door sometimes fully closes and locks, but at times, it doesn’t. If this happens to your Kia Carnival, ensure to have the car inspected by a professional mechanic.
Some of the common causes of this issue can be issues with the latch, lack of grease, broken door handles, an electrical fault, and a misaligned door. If any of these parts are faulty, you should have the mechanic replace them.
FAQ
Why is my Kia Carnival automatic door not working?
When an automatic door does not open, it can be due to several issues. Some of the things that might cause the door not to work are the driving unit suffering from mechanical or electrical faults. On top of that, there may be an error in the software activated by the motion sensor.
Can I open my Kia Carnival automatic sliding door manually?
Yes, you can open an automatic sliding door manually. Most automatic doors feature a closing spring inside the door operator which is created to offer a controlled closing force that is similar to the force of a manual door closer. So, when the power goes out, the closing spring is engaged and the door can be pushed or pulled open and closed manually, just like a normal car door.
What are the main problems with Kia Carnival?
The Kia Carnival may be a nice and practical car, but it also comes with several issues. However, the most common problems with the Kia Carnival are engine cooling, engine issues, drive system problems, and transmission issues. Moreover, some users have reported experiencing braking issues, air conditioning system issues, electric issues, and sliding door problems.
How much does it cost to maintain the Kia Carnival?
The Kia Carnival may come with several issues, but it is still a reliable car. Besides, maintaining this car is cheap as it costs between $95 and $219 to maintain it annually. On average, it costs around $125 to maintain the Kia Carnival. This is cheaper than the cost of maintaining most minivans on the market.
Is Kia Carnival worth buying?
It depends on what you’re looking for. The Kia Carnival is worth buying if you’re looking for a spacious, practical, nicely tuned, and reliable minivan. But if you’re searching for a luxurious, high-performance, and advanced minivan, you should consider another car.
Conclusion
The main sliding door problems with the Kia Carnival are power sliding door auto-reverse malfunctioning and malfunctioning sliding door. Several Kia Carnival owners have reported these issues and even the manufacturer issued a recall. With a software upgrade, the PSD auto reverse malfunctioning issue will be resolved.
Note that this issue should be handled fast to avoid injuries to the passengers in the rear of the Kia Carnival minivan.